Truecaller for iPhone: Real-Time Caller ID Now Available

Truecaller Brings Real-Time Caller ID to iOS Users

For a considerable period, iPhone users have experienced a disadvantage with the Truecaller app, lacking real-time caller identification – a functionality long available to Android users. This situation is now changing as the company initiates a rollout of an update that introduces real-time caller ID capabilities to its iOS subscribers.

Apple's Role in Enabling the Feature

The implementation of this feature became possible due to Apple’s introduction of Live Caller ID Lookup within iOS 18. This allows third-party caller ID applications to securely query a server to obtain information regarding the incoming caller. This release also marks the first significant update from the Swedish company following the departure of co-founders Alan Mamedi and Nami Zarringhalam from daily operations in November 2024.

Subscriber and Revenue Insights

Currently, Truecaller boasts over 2.6 million paying subscribers. Approximately 750,000 of these subscribers utilize iOS devices. Despite this, iOS subscriptions contribute 40% of the company’s total Premium revenue.

Notably, the conversion rate to the premium tier is five times higher on iOS compared to Android. Furthermore, revenue generated per iPhone subscriber is 80% greater.

Continued Investment in iOS Development

Recognizing the significance of the iPhone platform to its financial performance, Truecaller remains committed to the ongoing development of its iOS application.

In 2022, the iOS app was redesigned to enhance spam detection capabilities, facilitated by Apple’s allowance for storing a larger volume of numbers locally.

Challenges and Competition in India

While improvements were made, Nakul Kabra, Truecaller’s product director, explained to TechCrunch that local databases were insufficient in countries with high calling activity, such as India. India also presents challenges with the emergence of Calling Name Presentation (CNAP), a service designed to reduce spam, potentially becoming a competitor to Truecaller.

Previous Attempts at Live Caller ID

Truecaller previously introduced a live caller ID feature for iOS in 2023, but it required interaction with Siri and lacked true real-time functionality.

Prior to iOS 18, Truecaller was limited to utilizing a locally stored, restricted phone number directory on iOS.

New Server Architecture and Encryption

To support the new feature, Truecaller developed a new server architecture and established a dedicated, encrypted database specifically for iOS users, complementing its existing database for Android. Apple’s phone application transmits encrypted requests to this database and receives encrypted responses.

Decryption occurs solely on the iPhone to display the caller ID in real time. This process, known as “homomorphic encryption,” allows computations to be performed on encrypted data without prior decryption, ensuring data security.

Truecaller has also implemented a system to synchronize data between the two databases.

Performance and Potential Delays

Kabra indicated that there might be a slight delay due to queued requests and the computationally intensive nature of the encryption process, though this delay should not exceed a few hours.

Testing and Accuracy

Initial testing of the live caller ID feature during Truecaller’s beta program revealed that it generally provides caller information in real time, although occasional inaccuracies were observed.

Subscription Costs

Truecaller’s premium iOS tier begins at $9.99 monthly or $74.99 annually. A family plan is available for $14.99 per month or $99.99 per year, and the Gold subscription is priced at $249 annually.

Enabling the Feature

Users can activate the Live Caller ID Lookup feature within iPhone Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification.

Future Updates

With iOS 18, Truecaller has also updated its interface to display the caller’s name in bold text above their number. The company is currently working on adding support for displaying caller images within the iOS caller ID.